Island Free Press ...Fishing

Catching sea mullet in the surf

Sea mullet don’t share the stage with big time, tackle-busting trophies such as the jumbo bluefish, red drum, and stripers that roam the surf. These big boys can weigh in the double digits. Sea mullet are at the other end of the size range.

A 1-pound sea mullet earns any proud angler justifiable bragging rights, and every year several are caught that eclipse the 2-pound mark, but that’s just about as big as they get. Despite their size, sea mullet are a favorite among Hatteras and Ocracoke surfcasters. These hard-hitting, determined fighters also shine when presented on the table, and they are one of my favorite fish to catch from the beach.

Sea mullet are available from the surf and piers along Hatteras and Ocracoke islands from spring through late fall. They are known by different names as they swim throughout a variety of Atlantic coastal regions. Roundhead, whiting, and kingfish are but three of their aliases. Two different species of sea mullet are caught in the Outer Banks surf, and sometimes it can be difficult to tell them apart. Both have a single chin barbel. The northern kingfish features a series of wide and distinct vertical bars on the side of its body and a very long spine at the front of the dorsal (top) fin.   The southern kingfish has the same body shape but the marks on its sides are not as clearly defined.   It is common along the Outer Banks for both species to be mixed together.

Sea mullet live and travel in schools and are commonly grouped with spot and croakers as “bottom feeders.” Their pointed noses and underslung mouths enable them to forage and feed on the bottom, and that’s where successful anglers will catch them. Rarely will they take a lure. Most are caught on pieces of fresh bait. Bloodworms and shrimp are the best baits, but small pieces of fresh squid and mullet will also entice them. Mole crabs or "sand fleas" are excellent, and the price of this readily available bait will fit any budget. Surfcasters can usually dig an adequate supply of fleas from the damp sand at their feet.

Sea mullet have small mouths, so it's easy to miss bites if the hooks are too large. One of the most effective bottom rigs for sea mullet is sold everywhere on the Outer Banks. On these two-hook bottom rigs, I like a #2 or #4 long shank, snelled hook with a small spinner blade and red beads. The long shank is easy to remove from the fish, and the spinner helps to jazz up the presentation by adding some flash and color to a fresh bait. When the water along the surf line is dirty, the spinners can make a significant difference. Some use gold-snelled spinner hooks with great results.

A pre-made bottom rig manufactured by Sea Striker is also a consistent producer. Called a “Spot/Kingfish Rig,” it features two very small fluorescent balls tied in front of #6, gold-finish Kahle hooks. You can find them at any of the Hatteras or Ocracoke tackle shops.

Experienced surf anglers who consistently catch a lot of sea mullet have developed techniques that produce fish, and many of those successful anglers frequently move their baited rigs across the bottom. A pyramid sinker works great when you want your rig to find the bottom and stay in one place, but a flat, pancake type weight allows the rig to slide slowly across the sand. Sometimes the wave action and currents will provide enough movement. Other times it helps to move your rig a few feet every couple of minutes until you can find some fish that might be holding in a specific zone between the bar and the beach.

I like a medium-weight spinning rod in the 8- to 9-foot range. The rod should have enough backbone to cast up to 4 ounces of weight, plus a bottom rig and bait. A suitable reel filled with 15-pound test line completes the outfit. The new breed of no stretch, ultra sensitive braided lines are gaining in popularity. Most of the time, sea mullet will hit the bait with determination, but on some occasions they may suck on the bait and swim to the beach. The sensitivity of the braided line allows an angler feel the sinker move across the bottom if a fish bites and swims toward the beach.

Being able to “read the beach” is often the key to a successful sea mullet trip. Flat, gradually sloping, and featureless beaches are not attractive to sea mullet, but beaches highlighted by a variety of different sandbars and deep holes consistently produce most of the fish. A beach marked by a series of points bordered by small "pockets" can also hold fish.

Hatteras and Ocracoke islands are peppered with beach profiles that match this description. Certain sections of each island will consistently have the right combination of holes and sand bars, but the exact location of these "hot spots" may vary from week to week as the winds, currents, and tides change the bottom topography. The best bet for success is to check in with any of the local tackle shops for a general section of beach to target, and then pinpoint the best spots by looking at the beach on low tide when the bars, sloughs, and pockets are easily visible.

On those days when a long cast is not needed, I prefer a short, 6- to 7-foot rod with enough tip to handle up to an ounce of weight. Match the rod to a small reel filled with 8-pound test mono and you have a dynamite light tackle combo for the surf. Don't overlook the possibility of the fish being literally at your feet. Frequently, these silvery bottom feeders will forage for sand fleas and worms along the edge of sandbars where the water depth suddenly increases. Fishing the “drop” may produce surprisingly large fish, such as speckled trout, puppy drum, and pompano, all of which are a ball to catch on a one-handed spinning rod. I’ve found this technique especially effective during the summer months.

Sea mullet have a light tasting, firm meat and the flavor will be enhanced if the fish are iced immediately after being caught and cleaned as soon as possible. I dislike picking bones out of any fish, and keep only those fish that are large enough to filet. A couple of crispy fried sea mullet fillets is the perfect way to end a day spent catching one of the finest fish in the surf.

(Joe Malat lives in Nags Head and is a professional outdoor writer, book author, and director of the Outer Banks Surf Fishing Schools. He writes about saltwater fishing along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts and is published regularly in national and regional magazines. To order his books, or request information about the Outer Banks Surf Fishing Schools, visit Joe’s Web site at: www.joemalat.com.)